


Skywalker

by Evilux



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Legends - All Media Types
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-21
Updated: 2017-05-21
Packaged: 2018-11-03 06:30:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,162
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10961628
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Evilux/pseuds/Evilux
Summary: Luke Skywalker has a vision that leads him to a desolate and forgotten planet deep in the Outer Rim..Note: This kinda follows the Legends timeline about 14 years after Endor. There are some differences. Mara and Luke do not love each other yet. The Caamasi debacle did take place as seen on Zahn's Hand of Thrawn duology. A lot of things are still the same except when they aren't.





	Skywalker

"Stay with the ship." The robed man told the astromech unit as he jumped out of the cockpit. The droid twittered anxiously. "It's alright," the man smiled, "I'll be fine." The man then turned to the large fortress-like structure that loomed ahead of them, and his smile turned into a grimace.

Already he had a bad feeling about this. Taking a deep and calming breath, he started walking to the vast temple, calling upon the Force for guidance. But if the Force had any new insight to the man's goal, it did not provide it. Inwardly sighing, the man called upon the Force again. This time, he used it to leap across the rough, uneven road as he navigated to the foot of the temple.

"Hey, Artoo." The man called into his commlink. There was a static filled reply. "Check the onboard computer. What does this translate too?" he asked, pointing the camera sensor to a strange engraving that was set on stone in front of the temple. There was pause, and another reply. The man's blood when cold as the translation came through.

"Yennharr. I've seen the name in a holocron before. It's the name of a planet and a temple. And by the looks of it, this might be it. This place has been abandoned before the Empire even took over, though. It wasn't on their charts." The man explained.

He left out the part where it was stated that this was a Temple of the Sith.

He climbed the temple steps and immediately felt the strong residue of the dark side of the Force, and shivered. He remembered how he first encountered such dark residue in the cave in Dagobah, where a dark Jedi fell in the hands of the exiled Jedi master Yoda. He remembered Leia recounting her experience when she was in orbit around Endor, when her ship passed part of the orbit where the death star had exploded.

She had been overwhelmed by the Force residue then. And had felt the Emperor's dying thoughts from the strong presence he had left in the Force when he died. The anger at the betrayal of Darth Vader. The hatred he felt when he realised he was fated to be destroyed by the offspring of his old Master's creation.

The Jedi shook the thoughts away. No point bringing up past memories. The Force residue in the temple would be strong, and he would not give it more power than it already possessed. He cleared his mind and set some mental barriers in place.

He entered the temple, and was immediately greeted by an onslaught of overwhelming emotions and memories of many. He gasped and fell to his knees, his mental shields cracking under the pressure of the vast amount of events and history the now empty temple contained. He shook on his knees, knuckles clenched and white on the cool, dusty floor as he tried to make sense of it all.The screams and the hissing and whipping of blades. The unearthly growls and fury of the Sith that had reigned here and were killed by Jedi or their own. 

The temple was built on pain and anguish. It was a mistake to step in here. The Jedi brought himself up to his feet and tried to breathe, and for a second, he was in control. He forced the visions and memories of the past out of his mind and called upon the Force to calm his mind yet again. And when his vision cleared and the yells and shouts of those long dead faded, weariness fell upon him. He closed his eyes. 

This was not a residue. It was a wound. 

He opened his eyes and took a step forward. "That's far enough, Master Jedi." a voice called somewhere to his left. The jedi turned, but saw nothing. He stretched out with the Force, and felt a presence. But there was nothing breathing here. Frowning slightly, he probed the emptiness some more, trying to find the owner of the voice. 

"Oh don't bother. You'll not find me."

"Who are you?"

"A remnant of the past." 

"You're a Force ghost?" 

"Yes. I do not have a body or a visual manifestation. But I have a presence. Unfortunately, I am bound to only exist in a place like this."  

"Because of its connection to the Force?" 

"Yes." 

"You died here." 

"Yes."

"Were you a Sith?"

"Does it matter?" 

"I guess not. Not now."

"It never matters. Sith is but a title. A title which one possesses to enable oneself to use the force in an aggressive and hurtful way. Sith do not limit themselves to the Force as Jedi do. They explore every aspect of it." 

"But they act out of anger and hate."

"And this makes them weak." 

"What?" 

"Imagine opening yourself to the wonders of the Force. To not restrain yourself to the teachings of the Jedi. To the teachings of moderation and control. To have it all all at once and knowing everything. But using that knowledge and power selfishly. To use it and envy those with more of it. To hate. To spite. To inspire jealousy and rage. This is what a Sith does. This is what makes them weak."

"Why are you saying this." 

"Forgive me. I was a teacher once. A teacher of the Force." 

"A Master?" 

"Yes." 

"But you were not a Jedi?"

"Young Skywalker. I am not Jedi nor Sith. I despise such labels." 

"Then where did you learn to be a.. Force wielder?" 

"The Galactic Core. A planet by the name of Whillsmenn. You shall go there as well. In time. There you will find the Shaman of the Whills. They will teach you."

"What makes you think they're still there after all this time?"

"The Force is a gateway to many abilities, young Skywalker. Some may be considered unnatural. Unlocking the secrets of immortality is something the Sith have been trying to do ever since the galaxy was bestowed with the Force. The Shaman of the Whills have uncovered it eons ago." 

"How would I find these Shamans?"

"You can't. Few Jedi ever had. You can only seek them if they allowed you to." 

"Then how-" The Jedi was interrupted by the buzzing of his commlink. "Someone else has arrived. Someone who seeks my knowledge for selfish reasons." the presence told him, and he felt the displeasure that it radiated. "Come in, Artoo." The Jedi pushed the commlink, but was greeted with static. "That's typical." he said under his breath. 

"You are of the Force, Skywalker. Use it." the presence advised. "I can't. The Force residue here is clouding my-"

"Your mind is open to attacks quite easily, Skywalker. Close it. It's a valve. You can control what enters. And what leaves. Mental barriers can only help you so much. Learn how to utilise your mind, and promptly." The Jedi took a deep breath, and focused. He could hear the past in the edges of his mind. The whirling of lightsabers, the calling of the Force to be used against others. If he faltered even a little the visions would flood his mind again. He pushed them further back, and stretched out with the Force. And felt the intruder.

"Good." the presence acknowledged. "It's Sirklish. One of Talon Karrde's people." The Jedi said, concentrating. 

"She seeks me."

"What?" The Jedi frowned, probing Sirklish's mind, searching for intent. "She's here.. for me. Artoo activated the distress beacon-wait how long did the memories of the past overwhelm me just now?" The Jedi suddenly asked.

"Well over two hours."

The Jedi sighed, "I need to get better at judging time whenever I have visions." 

"You need to get better at everything, Jedi." 

"You're telling me. Look, she's not after you. Artoo put up a distress call because I missed the hourly contact. Twice. He must've thought I was in trouble. Silkrish must have picked up the call and came to see what's happening."

"And this person you know just happens to be in the system to respond to a call like this?"

"The Force works in mysterious ways." the Jedi said, though there was doubt in his words.

"Or maybe this person, unlike you, doesn't bear her mind for all to see."

"Sirklish isn't with the Force. I'd have known."

"To mask one's presence in the Force is no easy task, to be sure. But this intruder has had been here before, many years ago, multiple times. They were seeking a holocron at first. And they had felt my presence in the temple like you have. But I did not reveal myself. I saw through their intent. They left in anger, but they had placed sensors in the doorways. Sensors you have triggered and alerted them to your presence."

The Jedi sighed again. "I'm guessing you revealed yourself to me purely because of my lack of intent."

"You saw this place in a vision. Visions are the most neutral workings of the Force. But this is no time to discuss the ways of the Force. An adversary approaches. And I shall hide my presence from her and you again."

"Wait!" Luke called, but suddenly the presence in the Force vanished, leaving him alone. Alone save for Sirklish, who cautiously stepped into the entrance of the Temple.

"Skywalker." she mewed. "Sirklish." The Jedi nodded. The Cathar's fur flattened. "Your droid call. I come." she said, rather sheepishly. Luke stared at her, trying to focus past her obvious unease to be around a figurehead of the New Republic, and there! Like a particularly sour pomejrant seed among the sweet ones, he felt the flicker of ill intent towards him.

"You were in the system?" he asked casually, taking his eyes off her, and suddenly he was lifted off his feet and thrown backwards. He righted himself in midair and let the Force guide him safely down. At the same time, his lightsaber flew from his belt and into his hand, and with a snap-hiss, a brilliant green blade shone into existence, humming softly.

"Foolish Jedi." Sirklish snarled and drew her blaster. A blaster that looked unorthodox and custom made, and the Jedi understood the reason why. With a practiced twist, she turned the handle grip from it original position and pushed the scope upwards, and then activated the lightsaber.

A misty-white blade hissed into existence. "That's a clever design. Where'd you find that crystal?" Skywalker asked, his blade up in cautious defense. "Why would you care?" "The Empire destroyed and ravaged most of the planets that had kyber crystals. My students need some of those crystals to complete their Jedi training. They need it to craft their lightsabers."

"You are a dead man, Skywalker. I wouldn't worry about your students at a time like this." she said and leaped into the air towards him, bringing her hissing lightsaber down with all her might. The Jedi brought up his own blade to parry, but suddenly the green beam vanished. The other had deactivated his lightsaber with the Force. With no time to think and with his arms already raised and in the way of the oncoming white blade, Luke did the only thing he could and called upon the Force to push the Cathar off course. Sirklish landed lightly on her feet and raised her lightsaber in an unfamiliar attack stance. "That's not fair." Luke murmured as he activated his blade and brought it up again. "What know you of fair, Master Jedi?"

She came at him again. Luke pushed her back with the Force. She landed lightly on her feet again and holstered her lightsaber. "You think this is game?" Sirklish asked, and Luke felt a tightening around his throat. "I have tried to communicate to the Temple Spectre many times. And here _you_  are!" Sirklish growled as she bodily lifted the Jedi by the throat. Luke only had moments. Using the Force, he felt around his rival's blaster-lightsaber, and found the activation switch. 

Vision blurring and almost at the brink of irreversible neurological damage, he activated the blade. it pierced through her combat trousers and thigh and came out from the other side. Sirklish screamed and her grip slackened, and the Jedi fell, too shaken to even call upon the Force to dampen his landing. "Blasted.. _Kyrrun.."_ The fallen Cathar mewed, clutching her cauterized wound. Luke called upon the Force to ease the blood flow to his brain. "Who are you?" he asked, walking towards her, his lightsaber held low. She spat at him. And at the same time, a broken column came barrelling towards him. He halted it with the Force, and it fell crashing to the floor. 

"Save your effort." Luke advised the Cathar, and pressed his commlink. "Artoo?" he called, but there was only static. "You were jamming me." he stated. The other ignored him. Sighing inwardly, he pulled her lightsaber towards him, and attached it to his belt. "Who sent you?" he tried. "No one sends me. I came of my own accord." 

"Why are you here, then?" 

"To seek the knowledge I need. I went to all the known Sith temples in the galaxy. From Ashass Ree to Korriban. I've learned lost Sith Arts. I've learned to use the gift that was bestowed upon me by the Father-" 

"Who?" For the second time that day, Luke's blood ran cold. 

"Yes." Sirklish purred, "the Father. Abeloth-the Force entity you met- she knew him. He was her master. Known only as the Father. He had twin children, too. Daughter and Son."

"And they're all evil." he stated. "No. Abeloth is the Empress of Chaos. She does as she pleases. Father is the Emperor of Order. He does as he sees fit."

"And the children?" 

"I do not know. Ancient beings are they." 

"What's this knowledge you seek?" 

"I aim to bring the Son and Daughter to their knees. Only then-only when they bow to me, will I be a god." 

Luke shook his head slowly, suddenly very tired. "All the knowledge and power you already possess. All wasted on something so unachievable." 

"Shut your mouth, Skywalker. Do not presume you know any better. The Father chose me and gifted me with the Force. Do you presume to know his reasoning for this?"

"I don't. Frankly, I know nothing. I seek knowledge, same as you. I seek Jedi artefacts, Jedi codes. I seek those who spent their time with Jedi. Who fought and lived alongside Jedi. To know what it is to be a Jedi. I am the last of the old ways and the first of the new ones. Every Force user I've met tells meI am strong with the Force, but what is strength without discipline? Without restraint?" 

"You're the most powerful force user I've met. And yet you restrain yourself." she spat at him. "Give me your power if you are too weak to make use of it."

Luke smiled thinly. The Cathar were a demanding race in general, and Silkrish had the Force. And no matter how much she practiced the dark side and sought her unattainable power, she was too disciplined to be a Sith. There was good in her, he could tell, like how he could tell with his father. "And what will you do if I give you my power? What would you do if you become a god?" he asked. 

"You call yourself a Master, yet you do not know these things?"

"Enlighten me." The Jedi said patiently. 

“Those who can tame the Daughter and Son are those fated to bring balance to the Force.” 

"My father had already seen to latter." he said slowly. "I sincerely doubt it. He would have had to tame the Children."

"Maybe he did. I don't know what he has accomplished before he was seduced by the dark side. I know for sure he fought in the Clone Wars, and he led many expeditions around the Outer Rim."

"Darth Vader is but dead. The Children, if they were ever in his control in the first place, are in his control no more. The time is ripe for someone else to tame them." Silkrish hissed.

"Why harm me, then?" Luke asked. "You knew why I was here. You knew who I was." she said simply. He nodded, gathering as much. "Do you know any healing techniques?" He asked. "I know how to mask my pain and continue a fight." 

"I meant actual healing."

"What are you saying, Skywalker?" She asked. Luke reached down to her wound, and saw her fur stand on end. "I am only healing you." he said, gently. "I see you thoughts, Skywalker. But I suggest you don't." she said coldly. He frowned. "It is great disrespect and dishonour for the victor of the battle to spare the one he defeats. And you are offering assistance as well.. it's the ultimate shame." 

"Is this a Cathar thing?" Luke sighed, and the other nodded. Luke stood up, thinking hard. He could not just leave her here. "However, since you are keen on teaching. Teach me a healing technique." the other demanded. "You got it, Silkrish." Luke smiled, and began instructing her. An hour later, Silkrish could limp with only a slight wince. "You were my enemy, Skywalker. But your willingness to help those who wished you harm is admirable. I see I'm your mind that you are planning to let me go. But do not presume I would not keep looking for ways to tame the Children." 

"I wouldn't presume that much. But please, in your quest, also learn the ways to heal and calm yourself. The dark side may be a pathway to powerful abilities, but it lacks in the healing ways of the light." he advised.

"I still wish to know what the Temple Specter has told you." 

"Nothing that might help you, I believe." he said confidently and truthfully. Silkrish regarded him for a second, and then nodded. "I believe you, Skywalker. But do not stand in my way again."

"I'll try not to." he said. "One last thing." the Cathar looked at him in the eye. "Do not tell Talon Karrde what you know of me. I am dutybound to serve him, and only seek out Sith knowledge when time permits." She said. Luke frowned but nodded. "I understand." he said. 

"Thank you. We better go. I have to report to Karrde. To feed him more lies about myself." she said, grimacing. Luke felt a pang of sympathy. The Cathar were truthful and honest to a fault. Silkrish was in genuine pain to lie to someone she served. "We better get going, then." he said, pushing back his thoughts. The other nodded and pawed her way out, limping with every other step. He followed her, and felt the Temple Spectre return at the back of his mind, and remembered that he had his own quest now. To find the Shaman of the Whills...


End file.
